


a gentle touch to soothe a night terror

by Winter_Lantern



Series: pthumerian dweller au collection [3]
Category: Bloodborne (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Forehead Touching, Hurt/Comfort, Intimacy, M/M, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Pthumerian Dweller AU, Size Difference, small scene from a larger au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-20 14:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19993447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winter_Lantern/pseuds/Winter_Lantern
Summary: marion wakes up in the middle of the night (odd) without his large pthumerian within arm's reach (veryodd). fortunately he finds the dweller pretty quickly! unfortunately the reason he's awake in the middle of the night is quite unpleasant...





	a gentle touch to soothe a night terror

**Author's Note:**

> an au that acridid-s on tumblr came up with and told me about a while back and i've been running with the idea ever since haha !! 
> 
> it's called the "pthumerian dweller au" - where the chapel dweller is an elder/descendant chilling out down in the chalice dungeons (but is still the giant softie he is in canon). cept he hates it and wants to leave and lo-and-behold marion shows up with his ticket outta there! 
> 
> this takes place a while after they make their escape and have settled down with their own lil house (*´∀`*)
> 
> hc- vileblood body temp is hotter than a human's and pthumerians have a cooler body temp than humans

Marion was not what anyone would typically call a "light sleeper." Yet when he awoke it was not with the rising sun as it usually was, so he lied there for some moments, taking in his surroundings and trying to piece together what had awakened him.

The fog in his brain was not eager to part. It tugged him back towards the edges of whatever dream he had been having, begged to go back to sleep - but Marion ignored it. 

Something wasn't right, something was _missing_ — 

Like a lantern cutting through the mist, a realization hit Marion - that the cool, familiar presence that he had grown so used to sleeping next to, was _gone_. 

Marion rolled over onto his stomach, pushed himself up onto his elbows and scrubbed at his eyes. They were not as slow to adjust to the darkness of the bedroom as a human's would be - yet now it didn't feel fast enough! Lowering his hands he scanned what could be seen of the bedroom, blinking away the tiredness that still clung to him. 

Then he heard it. A sound barely above a whisper.

Marion twisted around and found who he had been looking for, but the sight did not bring him relief.

The dweller sat huddled in a corner, his face hidden in his hands. He was clearly trying to control his breathing but Marion could see the way his shoulders trembled with every inhale and he heard the quiet, almost inaudible whine that escaped him on every exhale. 

Expression twisting into one of worry, Marion pushed himself to his feet and traversed the mounds of pillows and blankets to creep up beside the dweller. From this close it was even easier to see the distress he was trying to hide. The sight pulled on Marion's heartstrings. 

With careful hands, he reached out towards the dweller. His fingers brushed over familiar skin, and curled around the Pthumerian's own long digits in a comforting gesture. 

The dweller twitched. Marion shifted closer, squeezing the fingers within his grip affectionately until the dweller lowered his hands from his face. He looked harrowed and miserable, and Marion made a soft noise of sympathy. "My dear," he whispered, voice roughened by sleep, "what is wrong?" 

The dweller took in a shuddering breath, his eyes shifting between the floor and Marion. "I- I'm sorry. Did I wake ya? I didn't mean to." 

"It was your lack of presence that woke me, I'm afraid. Seems I've grown used to having you close by as I sleep." Marion ran his thumbs over the Pthumerian's knuckles and smiled gently when he ducked his head. "And I know you have grown used to keeping me just as close. Please. Tell me what has you so distressed?"

The dweller released a pained sigh like a bellows. He looked up at Marion, who met the dweller's pained gaze with a look that was soft. Comfortable, familiar. It helped loosen his tight lips. Knowing that he can trust his tiny human, and find comfort in him. "I 'ave dreams sometimes... Where we're back in the underground city."

His real memories of that place was enough to make the dweller shudder, but the content of the nightmare, that... that had been something else entirely. 

He bit his lip, unable to make himself continue. 

Marion hummed sadly. He let go of the dweller's hands in favor of shuffling closer, until he stood between the dweller's legs with one arm wrapped around the dweller's broad shoulders and the other cupping the back of his head. Marion coaxed him into his warm embrace, tucking the dweller's head beneath his chin. "I am so sorry. That must be awful." He runs his hand through the dweller's hair, fingernails scratching lightly over his scalp. "I wound not have been upset if you had woken me up. If this happens again, I implore you, please do so. It pains me to see you upset." 

A cry escapes the dweller's lips and he grabbed at Marion, pulling him even closer. Marion's eyes widened at the sudden reaction but he didn't stop the soothing motions of his hands. " _Oh_ \- dear—"

"This one was different," the dweller whispered. "This one, it - I... it was horrible. One of the elders, he found you, and he - he _hurt_ you." His grip tightened, as if he wanted to absorb Marion into him. "There wasn't anythin' I could do and-and you were _screaming_ and then you _weren't_ — " 

Marion dropped to his knees, which startled the dweller out of his thoughts. Then warm hands were gripping his face, tilting his head upwards until they could look each other in the eye. 

"Oh." Marion's face fell when he saw the unshed tears in the dweller's eyes, saw the way his chest rose and fell with panicked breathes. It was heartbreaking, and tears of his own sprung into the corners of Marion's eyes. " _Oh gods, love._ I am so, so sorry." He pressed himself closer to the Pthumerian, who pulled Marion further into his embrace, wanting him closer and closer still. "That must have been hellish - _awful_. Words cannot express..." He fell silent as he touched his forehead to the dweller's, brushing their noses together and allowed his eyes to close. Just for a moment. Just to give himself a chance to quell the sympathetic pain that lanced through his heart and get control of his own tears that threatened to burst. 

When he opened his eyes, he did not hesitate in lifting his head to press a kiss to the bridge of the dweller's nose. "But I am here now, love. This is real, and I am still here. And I am sorry that I did not wake sooner." 

The dweller started to shake his head but stopped as Marion pressed their foreheads back together. "No. Ya don't need to be sorry—"

" _Yes_." Marion's voice was gentle with its conviction. "I will apologize. You do not deserve to suffer in silence, alone. You must promise me that if this happens again, you will wake me. No matter the time. No matter how tired you think I am." 

A deep shudder ran through the dweller's form. The tears that had been precariously perched at the edges of his eyelids spilled over, and Marion wiped them away with his thumbs. "I promise." The words were barely louder than a whisper. "I don't deserve this kindness. I don't deserve _you_." 

Marion smiled. "Of course you do, my dear. Of course you do." 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! comments and kudos are appreciated!! <3


End file.
